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Outta Sight entertains

Outta Sight will be among the groups performing Feb. 27 at an open house at FSDB. Photo by LORRAINE THOMPSON, Correspondent

FSDB students in the Outta Sight group perform at a recent Sons of Italy performance. Photo by LORRAINE THOMPSON, Correspondent

If there’s ever a group of performers who believe in their talents, it has to be members of the Outta Sight musical group from the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. The group entertained a full house of locals and seasonal visitors for the seventh consecutive year at an early January pizza party sponsored by the Sons of Italy and held in the Community Center of St. Anastasia Catholic Church on Anastasia Island.

From rock and roll to soul music — and in between — the enthusiasm of the instrumentalists and vocalists increased with each rendition. And although they could not see the standing ovations they received, they certainly heard the applause and cheers.

All members of Outta Sight, which includes singers, percussionists, guitarists and other string instruments, and piano and keyboard players, are legally blind and naturally talented.

The musical performing group was established in 1993 by local teacher, musician and sportsman Bill Sabo. Outta Sight performs throughout the school year averaging two performances each month. In addition to local appearances, it has performed for the State of Florida legislators and at colleges in the state. It also appeared on television before Christmas on the Channel 4 Morning Show.

The performing group is funded through private donations from the Theodore R. and Vivian M. Johnson Scholarship Foundation, Inc. To qualify for the group, FSDB students must be highly motivated and meet stringent academic requirements. The students are all high school age, with a few selected outstanding middle school students.

Twins Sean and Derrick Ferguson were among the missing from the group this year. Sobo explained that the brothers are now students at the University of Florida where they are majoring in education and plan to become teachers.